Europen Olympic Committees (EOC) President Spyros Capralos held meetings with the Romania National Olympic Committee President Mihai Covaliu in Cluj-Napoca to evaluate the possibility of hosting multisport events in the city on 19 September 2023.

During the visit President Capralos and President Covaliu were given a presentation at the Cluj-Napoca City Hall from representatives laying out the sporting strategy for the city. The strategy includes investment in infrastructure for mass sports venues, parks and publicly available fitness equipment and also highlights public policies, programmes and events to support sport among young people and promote healthy lifestyles.

The city has ambitions to expand facilities in every neighbourhood to encourage grassroots sports and support performance sports.

The visit was also an opportunity for President Capralos to visit the existing facilities and to see first-hand the local sports infrastructure already in place, with a view to the city hosting a large-scale multi-sport event in the future.

Cluj-Napoca has already hosted an array of top-level sports events including, EuroBasket 2017, the European Volleyball Championship 2021, the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, multiple European Table Tennis Championships, a FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Challenge Cup in 2022 and the FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics Junior World Championships 2023.

President Capralos commented: “We have received wonderful hospitality here in Cluj-Napoca and I am very impressed with the existing sports facilities on offer in the city. There is a clear strategy and ambition to support sport participation and develop an active community.

“I very much look forward to continued discussions with the Romanian NOC and the city of Cluj-Napoca, and very much hope an EOC sanctioned event can take place here in the future.”

Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca City Hall said: “The visit has been very fruitful with productive conversations about what our city can offer in hosting a multi-sport event. In our city they will always find support for the organisation of sports events, and the investment in the sports dimension of Cluj continue, both for mass sports and for professional sports”.